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Hey all, appreciate the help!

So, my baby is 8 days old. I had a little trouble getting started. Now it Kinda started going. the truth is sometimes she'll get full pretty quickly and sometimes she won't at all. Even if she is doing the sucking right. Me and my husband get the sense I am not producing a lot of milk. When I put the breast pump on only a few drops come out. Im a going to see an increase in flow in the next days? What should I do? I really appreciate the help, you guys are the best!!

Re: Hey all, appreciate the help!

I could never get much milk out with a pump, even if I sat working at it for hours! So don't judge how much milk you have in your breast by how much is coming out with your pump. I think you need to count how many wet diapers per day your LO is producing, to know if she's getting enough to eat.

Re: Hey all, appreciate the help!

hi mama, congratulations!

can you tell us more about:
- your trouble getting started
- how you know she's full or not
- how often she's nursing, and for how long
- how many wet & poop diapers in 24 hours
- what nursing feels like (comfortable? painful? what do your nipples look like after? same on both sides?)
- why and how often you're pumping, how much comes out, and what pump?

in general, the thing to do is nurse at earliest cue as frequently as possible, for as long as baby wants. at this age, that's going to be AT LEAST 10-12 times per 24 hours, not necessarily spread out evenly, and could be more at night than during the day.

Re: Hey all, appreciate the help!

So here's the thing, and I know this isn't what I should do. But since we started our doctor told us to stimulate the breast with nursing and that if it didn't come out in the first 3 or 4 days we could also use some formula. THe baby would cry a lot and would not sleep so we caved. We always nurse for at least 20 min. but sometimes up to 40 min each breast. If the baby doesn't stop asking for food we give her some formula. We do it with a seringe (if that is the spelling) and a plastic tube and very close to the nipple so we only release food when she is sucking. Its been going on for 8 days no and my milk has not really come in. Sometimes she feeds (only natural) and goes to sleep right after but most of the time she wants more. So thats how we know she's not full. We nurse every time she asks. She takes 3-4 hours naps and when she wakes up she's always very hungry. Sometimes nursing takes 2 hours. She falls asleep at the nipple and we have to wake her up so she can keep sucking. She poops 2-3 times a day and pees just about that amount. Nursing is really not uncomfortable and I may pump 1 time a day.Its a medela. I'm a stay at home mom so I have the time to nurse all the time. By the way I live in ol' Mexico so theres really not lactation specialists over here. Thanks again...a please don't be to hard on me for giving formula. Its hard to see your baby cry all the time and not do something. Thanks!!!

Re: Hey all, appreciate the help!

hi mama, thanks for answering some of those questions.

so, milk is a demand & supply system. the way your body knows to make it is because your baby is stimulating the breast to produce it. what you describe as baby wanting to nurse all the time, still wanting to nurse after 20 or 40 minutes or even 2 hours, all of that is COMPLETELY NORMAL for a baby this age. the fact that she continues to want to nurse does not indicate that she's not getting milk.

as a SAHM mom, right now, your ONLY job is to nurse the baby. if possible, have someone else do everything else - cook, clean, groceries, laundry, bring you food. you will be "stuck" nursing for most of your day for at least several weeks, and that's how it should be - that's what lets your baby grow and demand milk and your body make milk. ("stuck" is relative - lots of moms enjoy the time to sit & relax, or find a way to be active, like with a sling).

so every time you give formula, you tell your body not to make milk. it is very normal for milk not to come in by day 3 or 4 (mine came in day 5). it's awesome that you are doing syringe feeding at the breast, though - this puts you ahead a little compared to bottles.

also - no need to pump if you are not imminently returning to work. since she's latching well (i assume? since you say she sucks, swallows, and it's comfortable for you?), put her to the breast all the time, and pack away the pump till you get nursing well in hand.

Re: Hey all, appreciate the help!

Implants that were inserted from the crease between breast and chest are generally much less troublesome for breastfeeding than implants that were inserted through the areola. Any surgery that severed and reattached the nipple is likely to cause issues. This forum may be useful to you: http://bfar.org/index.shtml